Since 1923, four generations of Haywards have guided L.H. Hayward and Company from its humble beginnings as a wholesale produce supplier to its modern day status as the internationally recognized packager of Camellia Brand® dry beans, peas and lentils – not to mention its distinguished title as the most respected provider of the quintessential Louisiana and Gulf Coast region’s favorite soul food: red beans.

Never was this more apparent than in the months following Hurricane Katrina. Evacuees dispersed across the United States desperately seeking to restore some semblance of "home" found solace in the great Southern tradition of cooking up a big pot of red beans…and not just any red beans would do. Orders for Louisiana’s own Camellia Brand® rolled in from across the country in unprecedented numbers – and it didn’t stop there.

Overall demand for Louisiana food products has been on the rise for the past fifteen years. "Cajun" and "Creole" cooking was introduced to mainstream America on nationally syndicated television shows by chefs "K Paul" Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse, among many others. While the shows demystified the styles and techniques of Southern cooking for everyone from coast to coast, something was still missing – authentic, top quality Louisiana ingredients. The popularity of Southern cuisine, combined with the consistent national media attention following the Gulf Coast region’s recovery from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, spurred sales of Louisiana-made products nationwide.

The prepared foods market has grown exponentially to meet the increasing number of households that simply do not have the time, inclination or ability to cook a full meal in today’s fast paced culture. The market is virtually unlimited, defying the usual demographic limits of income, marital status, gender and age. Prepared foods appeal to single- and multi-income families of all ethnic backgrounds and geographic locations, those with or without kids, and those concerned with nutritional content and the overall healthiness of the foods they choose. The market wants more than "fast food", they want "good food that’s good for you, fast" – and Camellia® Beans and Rice To Go! give them just that, in under two minutes.

Camellia recognized the convergence of the Louisiana products and prepared food trends and found a new way to bring their product line one step closer to the consumer. In 2009, L.H. Hayward and Company unveiled their latest innovation under the Camellia Brand® name: Camellia Beans and Rice - To Go. These meals require no refrigeration and are designed to heat and eat in under two minutes without turning on a stove! Camellia offers four Red Beans and Rice To Go flavors: Original New Orleans Style; Flavored with Sausage; Savory Ham; and Savory Ham and Jalapeno. Camellia has also introduced its first White Beans and Rice To Go, Savory Ham.

L.H. Hayward and Company are currently expanding their alliances and product offerings to include the new line of Camellia Brand® Beans and Rice To Go. In addition, Camellia Brand® is enhancing its existing dry packaged bean, pea and lentil lines to include a greater variety of selection for its customers nationwide.

Look for Camellia Brand® products on your local grocery and convenience store shelves – or ask for them by name!



1923 – 1941, L. H. Hayward
L. H. Hayward and Company was founded by Lucius Hamilton Hayward in 1923. L.H., as he was known by the family, moved from Meridian, Mississippi to New Orleans in 1920 to establish himself as a wholesale supplier of fresh fruits and vegetables. Before long, L.H. Hayward and Company was a key supplier of farm-fresh, Louisiana and Mississippi-grown produce to local grocery stores and the French Quarter markets. In 1927 L.H. purchased a three story building on the Mississippi Riverfront in downtown New Orleans which served as the company’s warehouse and headquarters for the next 47 years.

By 1984, 95%
of packaged
dry beans sold
in New Orleans
were Camellia
Brand.

The 1920s and 1930s were economically challenging for the business as it struggled to keep afloat in the cash-poor Depression Era economy. Founding son, Gordon Hayward, recalled the many hours his father spent each week collecting accounts that first had to sell the produce before they were able to pay their bill. The 1940s brought some economic relief, and just prior to World War II the company had recovered and was able to expand its staff and operations. By 1941, L.H. was able to see his company dreams come to fruition and set in motion its plans for the future. Later that year L.H. passed away, leaving the business in the hands of his son, Gordon, and three daughters, Bessie, Marjorie and Dorothy.

1941 – 1991, Gordon Hayward
Gordon Hayward held the reins of the company for the next 50 years. During World War II, L.H. Hayward and Company became one of the major suppliers of fresh produce to the Army and Navy bases in and around the New Orleans area and established themselves as the highest quality wholesaler of dry beans, peas and lentils. When the war ended, the company expanded once again to meet the needs of the growing economy.

The advent of the "grocery supermarket" and advancements in canning and packaging impacted the company’s fresh fruit and vegetable sales and as a result, L.H. Hayward and Company turned their attention to specializing in a variety of dried beans, peas and lentils. In 1947, the company trademarked the Camellia Brand® and sold its first packaged goods. In the Hayward tradition, Gordon brought on board his two sons, Ken and Rick, to help with the new dry good lines.

By 1974, the company had outgrown its downtown headquarters and urban renewal in the neighborhood ultimately limited access to the building. The company found a new home in a suburban New Orleans industrial park, where L.H. Hayward and Company’s warehouse, packaging and administrative facilities reside today. When Gordon passed away in 1991, Ken and Rick Hayward assumed management and in time, indoctrinated their two sons, Connelly and Vince, into the family business.

1991 – Present, Ken & Connelly and Rick & Vincent Hayward
Today, the Hayward father-son teams work together pioneering new avenues for the company to continue its remarkable growth. L.H. Hayward and Company now packages 17 varieties of dried beans, peas and

"Our vision
is to share a tradition
of red beans and
rice with the world."
~ Connelly Hayward

lentils under the Camellia Brand® in six sizes ranging from 1-pound to 100-pounds for wholesale, institutional and governmental organizations worldwide – but it doesn’t stop there.

L.H. Hayward and Company recently unveiled their latest innovation: Camellia Beans and Rice To Go. These meals require no refrigeration, can be stored virtually anywhere, and are designed to heat and eat in under two minutes – no stove required!